April 2017 Newsletter

SFI IN BRIEF

A newsletter to keep you informed.

SFI Community Grants Feature Collaboration from 50 Different Groups Spanning North America

SFI announced 11 community grants in April that will advance the quality of life in communities across North America. SFI is bringing together a diverse range of people from 50 organizations to support community engagement projects that put SFI at the intersection of sustainable forestry, responsible procurement and thriving communities.

Since the program began in 2010, SFI has awarded 53 conservation and 49 community partnership grants totaling more than $3.4 million to foster conservation and community-building projects. When leveraged with project-partner contributions, that total investment exceeds $13.2 million. The grant program builds on the fact that SFI is the only forest certification standard in North America that requires participants to support and engage in research activities to improve forest health, productivity, sustainable management of forest resources and the environmental benefits and performance of forest products.

Daniel Pellegrom joined SFI in April as Sr. Director, Communications. He has a diverse background in communications, sustainability and stakeholder engagement and worked entirely in the private sector before joining SFI. He was most recently VP, Sustainability and Social Impact at Weber Shandwick and before that, Director, Sustainability Communications at PepsiCo. Throughout his career he has worked at the intersection of business interests and sustainability efforts with a focus on developing diverse communication strategies that build reputation, support business goals, and impact social and environmental change. As a leading sustainability organization that engages with a diverse network of stakeholders, SFI believes that Daniel's experience working in-house for a brandowner and for several communications agencies will help support our dynamic range of programs and communication efforts. Daniel started his career in the Peace Corps where he led grass roots community development projects in Ghana and has earned an MBA and MA in International Affairs.

Ninety-two secondary manufacturers of the Wood Products Manufacturers Association (WPMA) simultaneously earned certification to the SFI 2015-2019 Chain-of-Custody (COC) Standard, making this the largest single group to certify to the SFI COC Standard at once. Wood products sold as certified to the SFI CoC Standard allow these hardwood organizations to be eligible for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) credits through the LEED Alternative Compliance Path or credits through the Green Globes Rating System. The WPMA will benefit from the rising use of wood products in buildings as an option for mitigating climate change.

B.C.'s Forests Can be Sustainably Harvested

An op-ed by Kathy Abusow, President and CEO of SFI Inc., was recently published in the Vancouver Sun. "If we want to keep our forests healthy to sustain biodiversity, but also to sustain rural communities, then we have a responsibility to recognize that forest products from well-managed forests, including certified forests, are a way to do this," Abusow explains. Choosing products sourced from healthy, responsibly managed forests is a sustainable path forward, and will preserve our beautiful forests for years to come.

Apple's Plans for Eastern North Carolina Could be the Start of a Trend

Apple, Inc., through a partnership with The Conservation Fund, has pledged to maintain land it acquired two years ago in Brunswick County as a working forest. The goal is to source packaging materials in a sustainable way. While most companies rely on third-party certification standards, Apple has gone a step further, owning the forest. Kathy Abusow, President and CEO of SFI Inc., provides commentary on Apple's move in an article in the Triangle Business Journal.

Get Inspired by the Boy Scouts

The Boy Scouts of America infuses sustainable education and practices to every part of their program. The group offers a Sustainability merit badge which is among the required merit badges to achieve the top rank of Eagle Scout. The Scouts also practice sustainability on the lands they own and with the publications they produce. The Boy Scouts have been long-term partners with SFI. In fact, two of the National High Adventure bases, the Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico (90,000 acres) and the Summit Bechtel Family National Scout Reserve in West Virginia (13,000 acres), are certified to the SFI Standard. Read more about the partnership between Boy Scouts and SFI here.

Alabama SIC Hosts Forest Sustainability and Products Tour for Students

In March, the Alabama SFI Implementation Committee (SIC) and the Alabama Forestry Foundation sponsored their annual Forest Sustainability and Products Tour for Auburn University College of Architecture, Design and Construction students. SFI program participant Resource Management Service and Structural Wood hosted the students and encouraged them to use wood products in future building designs.

Hancock Natural Resource Group Billionth Tree Planting Video

Earlier this month, SFI Program Participant Hancock Natural Resource Group (HNRG) released a video documenting their billionth tree planting. This milestone was celebrated with HNRG employees and conservation stakeholders, including SFI, at an event on November 1, 2016,in McCloud, California. This was the billionth tree planted by HNRG since their founding in 1985.

The SFI Annual Conference brings together thought leaders and influencers from the forest products industry, conservation and community partners, tribal and indigenous leaders as well as some of the most engaged forest product customers in North America. This year's conference theme - Forests. A Way of Life - will highlight how we all depend on forests whether we are harvesting professionals, landowners, producers, customers, Indigenous peoples or individuals using forests for recreation. We'll discuss topics of relevance to the Canadian, American and International forest sectors, so come to the 2017 SFI Annual Conference in Ottawa, Ontario and help us celebrate Canada's National Forest Week and Canada's 150th anniversary.

Register before August 9 to take advantage of our registration and housing discounts.

Get Social with SFI

The SFI community is diverse and includes landowners, brandowners, conservation organizations, community groups, the public sector, universities, indigenous peoples and more.

As we continue to grow, we are excited to share not only SFI's stories but the SFI Community's news as well! Please take a few minutes to tweet and post your thoughts or send us your stories so we can share them for you: